Improvement in umbrella-runners



C. A. THOMPSON.

UMBRELLA-RUNNER.

Patented Apri125, 1876.

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CHARLES A.-THOMPSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN UMBRELLA-RUNNERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176,450, dated April 25, 1876; application filed October 7, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. THOMP- SON, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented an Improved Umbrella-Runner; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of the runner and of the spring-catch for holding the same; and it consists in the improved construction of the several parts of the runner and of the spring, and in the relative arrangement of the same with each other, as hereinafter particularly described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of my improved runner. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same; and Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detail views hereinafter referred to and explained.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the several figures.

A is the staff, and B the slotted ring or flange, to which the ends of the stretchers are secured, both of which may be of the common form and construction. 0 is a tube, to the upper end a of which the flange B is soldered or otherwise secured. The upper part of this tube tits loosely on the staff in the usual manner, but the lower portion 1) is enlarged, and rests against the flange or ring E when the cover is extended, which said ring will be presently described. The lower part of the runner consists of a tube, D, one portion, 01, of which fits loosely on the staff, while the upper portion, 0, is enlarged, being widest at its center and contracted toward its upper end j, which latter fits and works over the lower portion of the tube 0, and at the widest part of this tube D is located a slotted ring or flange, E, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, having a number of slots, h, which are sufficiently large to pass over the catch or tongue 43.

When the cover is extended the lower end of the tube 0 rests against the ring E, which latter rests against the catch or tongue 73, and when it is to be lowered, the portion D of the runner is turned on the upper portion G until one of the slots h comes opposite the catch '5 and allows the runner to pass over the latter.

In ig. 3 is shown the upper tube 0, and in Fig. 4 the upper end of the lower portion of the runner, which fits loosely on the former, and the lower end of which is soldered or otherwise secured over the part shown at the top of Fig. 5. The catch or tongue i is secured to the end of a steel spring, 0, the other end of which is secured to a metal plate, F, which is slotted to receive the said spring and catch, and is set into a slot in the staff A and secured therein by rivets or other suitable means.

The advantages secured by my improvements are as follows: The spring and catch are covered by the runner, so that the danger of pinching the fingers thereby in opening and closing the umbrella is avoided; the runner is very strong and durable and easily managed, and presents a very neat appearance; and the construction of the spring-catch admits of its being inserted in the stick without weakening the latter.

It will be seen that I use a similar spring to the one above described, to hold the runner when the umbrella is closed, (shown in Fig. 1,) which is similar in all respects to the former, but is, of,.course, placed to Work in the opposite direction.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In an umbrella-runner, the ring E, provided with radial slots h, and secured within the runner, as shown and described, for the purpose set forth.

2. The spring-catch herein described, composed of the catch i, the spring 0, and the CHARLES A. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

D. B. FLEMMroH, G. L. GEOFF. 

